TERMS & CONDITIONS
I assume you have read the following
term and conditions before making a
booking. Since they are rather
lengthy, and not very exciting, I have
provided a little background music
which I hope will make your reading a
little more pleasant.
Location
Unless otherwise agreed visiting lessons take place at the home of the
tutor as nominated on the website contact page and the linked location
map. Local pupils may mix visiting and online lessons to suit themselves.
Online lessons may be booked from any location in the world where Zoom
is available along with a suitable internet connection. See more informa-
tion about using Skype elsewhere on the website, particularly information
relating to the applicable local time.
Booking
Bookings may be made by using either booking calendar on the website
(playfingerstyle.co.uk). If web access is not available bookings may be
made by text message or by phone. In all cases an e-mail, text message or
phone call will be used to confirm the booking(s). In the unlikely event that
you do not receive any form of booking confirmation please try contact us
using an alternative service to the one used in making the booking before
the date for which it was requested.
Assessment
In order to assess the existing playing ability of potential pupils, to estab-
lish goals and to enable me to put together a suitable lesson programme a
short meeting will be arranged ahead of any booked lessons and pupils
should bring their guitar with them. The main contact form should be used
to request a suitable date and time for the meeting or, if this isn't possible,
a text message or phone call will suffice. There is no charge for this. Online
pupils, other than beginners, are also asked to follow this same procedure.
Online Lessons – Zoom
All pupils are asked to run a trial Skype communication session ahead of
any lesson to establish suitable position and lighting etc. Non-beginners
can do this immediately before the start of the assessment meeting.
Payment
Lessons may be paid for on the day of the lesson or, if booked online, a
deposit is required to be paid in advance using PayPal, with the balance
paid on the day of the lesson. Payments other than by PayPal may be
made by cash or cheque with a bankers card. Shared lessons can only be
paid on the day of the lesson. Note that shared lessons are subject to
availability and only available for pupils 16 years-of-age and under and
bookings must be requested using the contact form only.
Vouchers
Anyone in receipt of a lesson gift voucher should use the main contact
form to book their lesson(s) stating that payment will be made using a gift
voucher and including the name and address of the person who provided
the gift voucher so we can match it with our records.
Cancellation
Deposits are not refundable but may be applied to an alternative time slot,
providing notification is received at least five (5) days before the booking.
Otherwise the deposit will be forfeited. Notice of changes/cancellations
must made using the main contact form and are similarly acknowledged.
For the cancellation of multiple-booking lessons the above deposit
restrictions only apply to the booking(s) involved and not the full amount
pre-paid.
In the event a lesson or lessons have to be cancelled by the tutor due for
personal or other reasons pupils will be given s much notice as possible
and alternative dates and times provided.
Material
Visiting pupils: During any programme of lessons printed material will be
made available to pupils in support of the tuition and to provide sources of
reference both during and after lessons. Additionally music sheet arrange-
ments (under another James Williams copyright brand, Music Play Charts)
will also be provided. All material is provided at no extra cost however it
remains the copyright of James Williams and is supplied specifically for
pupils who use the Play Fingerstyle service and should, therefore, not be
copied, scanned, forwarded, given away or sold, loaned or distributed to
any third party at any time without express permission in writing by the
copyright holder.
Online pupils: All material mentioned above is provided as download files
only, in PDF format, for pupils to print for themselves. It is, however,
important to understand that the same copyright conditions apply to
downloaded material as it does to that provided for visiting pupils.
Also note that music arrangements made under the Music Play Charts
brand are also sold to the general public as download files and although
some of them will be used - and provided at no charge - for pupils during
lessons there is, and will continue to be, a growing library of such arrange-
ments available commercially.
In the event that links are to third party websites are suggested to pupils as
part of the lessons programme they are provided purely for reasons of
convenience and information. We neither endorse nor are responsible for
the content of those sites nor to links to other websites which they may
contain. Parents and/or guardians who monitor web access to juniors
should make us aware of that situation from the outset.
The copyright holder make every effort to ensure that the material
commercially provided is wholly correct. In the event that the "copyright
owner" determines there is an error or an omission or both, or a purchaser
brings such error(s) and/or omission(s) to the attention of the "copyright
owner(s)" any resulting corrected publication(s) will be made available to
existing purchasers of the applicable title(s) for them to download without
charge.
Homework
Pupils should expect to have "homework" set for the period between
lessons and are further advised to play their instrument every day in order
to make the most of their lessons and progress satisfactorily.
Equipment
Visiting pupils should bring the guitar they intend to use for the lesson(s)
plus any course material provided for the lessons themselves. A footstool
and music stand will be made available for the pupil's use during each
lesson. Please do not bring food.
For beginners who may only be considering learning to play the guitar
there will usually be a few spare instruments, both steel and nylon string
instruments, to use at the lesson for the purposes of assessment. The
instruments will almost always be full-size and are not available to take
away.
Pupils are responsible for maintaining their own equipment at all times
and for caring for the course material provided. In the event that printed
material needs replacing there will be a charge of £0.50 per page.
Pupils who use the online lessons service are responsible for the hardware
and communications equipment, cameras etc which they use during Skype
connections. In the event there is a shutdown failure during an online
lesson the lesson will be re-scheduled and the balance of the time
remaining applied to it.
Rates
The rates shown on the website and booking calendars will always be the
current figures. If sharing fees change pupils will be notified at least one
month in advance.
At present VAT does not apply to our music lessons.
Trial Lesson
Book a lesson using the booking calendar if are uncertain as to your
interest in playing the guitar and would like a trial lesson, possibly using
one of the instruments which are usually available for visiting pupils, and
use the notes section on the form to tell us you wish to have a trial lesson
and if you require the use of a guitar for that purpose. Alternatively phone
or e-mail the booking. Please note that the same rate applies as for regular
lessons.
Privacy
Personal information supplied to us is confidential and will not be
disclosed to any third party unless required to do so by law. We do not,
however, guarantee confidentiality of any communications sent via e-mail
or through our website.
Animal Allergies
There are no animals on the premises where lessons take place. Your tutor
is a non smoker and smoking is not permitted on or in the premises.
Child Minding
Please note that only pupils who are booked for lessons may attend during
the period of each lesson and there is no provision to care for other
children or adults during that time. The only exception would be in the
case of a very young child, in which case the practicality of lessons should
be discussed before they are booked.
Behaviour
Bad behaviour by pupils will not be tolerated and will lead to an immediate
termination of a lesson, or course of lessons, and a refund applied for any
outstanding paid-up fees.
DBS certification
The tutor, James Williams, is DBS certified which means that anyone has
recourse to applicable records should they wish to request them from the
authorities.
Liability
Pupils, guardians and parents who make bookings for lessons with James
Williams (directly or via the website playfingerstyle.co.uk) agree not to hold
the said operator responsible for any loss, damage or injury incurred
directly or indirectly as a result of booking and attending lessons.
Consent
In booking lessons you will have read, understood and agree to these
Terms and Conditions, OR, as the parent or legal guardian of a minor
booked to attend lessons, you provide consent for him or her to partici-
pate in said lessons in full acceptance of, and agreement to, these Terms
and Conditions.
Disclaimer
While every effort has been made to ensure that the materials contained
on this website are accurate, we do not guarantee: the absolute accuracy
of the content nor that of the materials provided as part of the lessons
programme; the site will be available without interruption, error or
omission; that the errors will be corrected; nor that the website/hosting
server(s) are free from viruses or harmful components. The website and
the materials provided on the website are provided "as is" and "as
available" without representations, warranties or conditions of any kind,
either expressed or implied.
Questions
Please direct any questions relating to these terms and condition to
james@playfingerstyle.co.uk
© James Williams